Overall: I will miss this beer, but I felt 8 years was long enough in the cellar. As great as it was to drink, it also felt like it was on the verge of collapse. If there was a sweet spot for this particular bottle, I'm pretty sure I hit it. (756 characters)

The beer is dark, ominous black. Still nice carbonation evident, with a half inch or more of beige head. Scents of roast, oak, chocolate, bourbon. Thick in body and smooth, with subtle alcoholic warmth in the finish. Oak and vanilla notes add depth and complexity. Additional flavors of chocolate and charred roast. Well balanced and delicious. Age has served this beer well. What a treat. (423 characters)

S - This has held up surprisingly well, although some inoffensive oxidation is starting to creep in lending some fruity notes to the oaky vanilla, chocolate, roast, anise, and hint of char.

T - The taste is quite nice, and reveals less age and oxidation than the aroma. A delightful blend of cocoa, vanilla, oak, nutty and lightly sugary malts, and earthy bourbon. The aging seems to have muted the barrel-aging influence, bringing a bit more balance between the bourbon, oak, and base beer than subsequent iterations. Either that, or this was more restrained to begin with.

D - This beer has held up really well. The oxidation is fairly mild and integrates with the flavor profile in a largely complementary manner. Quite enjoyable, but drink up soon on this one. Would gladly drink this one again. (1,182 characters)

The aroma screams bourbon barrel from the getgo - it’s all vanilla, oak, and bourbon (delicious!). The flavor parallels quickly with sweet malt, vanilla, touches of dark fruit, and a dry roasted malt finish. This is very much like the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout but just slightly, ever so slightly, not as good. (320 characters)

Pushes up a big 1 1/2 inch dark coffee, dense creamy foam that turns rocky as it drops over a rich, dark brown chocolate that is nearly black and passes no light. Thick rings of lace are deposited, while the head never goes away. Great label too.

Opens with baker’s chocolate and roasted malt with some milk chocolate and background grapefruit. Black coffee comes out with alcohol fumes. All becomes sublime with warmth.

Rich roasted malt has almost a burnt character with bitterness that is heavy. Flavors are close to the nose, however, each is punctuated. The finish is long with roasted malt maintaining its impact. There is a light, smoky flavor with some tobacco and brown sugar as it warms. Definitely let this one warm up, as warmth reveals how well-crafted the flavors are.

The Dogfish Head snifter holds a medium bodied beer with a velvety texture and lively carbonation. This one is quite dry with a light astringency in the finish. Alcohol is well tamed.

Old Rasputin is definitely a sipping beer, but a few big gulps won’t hurt. While the reputation may be slightly overdone, this is quite an experience worthy of a return trip. I am going back to try it with a juicy ribeye steak. (1,202 characters)

Poured black color with an average creamy creamy brown head that mostly lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, woody and small alcohol aroma. Medium to full body with a rich smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium to heavy roasted sweet chocolate cream flavor with a medium to heavy sweet smooth finish of moderate to long duration. Another standout brew. (402 characters)

Pours not a totally opaque black with a medium/small brown head. Nose is immediately big roasted malt, some black licorice, and barrel. Further layers are vinous, dark fruits, vanilla. A good nose. Flavor is quite dry up front, very thick and creamy. Vanilla mostly on the mid palate, and a long finish of charred malt and ash. Really interesting flavor profile. The main distraction here is the mouth feel. Although it's definitely thick and creamy, there is crazy high carbonation all around that just assaults the palate. Other than that this is very nice...I love dry imperial stouts, love that ash and char quality which is really subtley done here, barrel influence isn't over the top. Thanks Doug! (704 characters)

Bought a few bottles the last time I was in Fort Bragg. Drank most fairly quickly, but manged to store one for nearly 4 years. Opened recently, the quality was such that I was inspired to review here. Some beers age so well, but yet aging is not something a lot of beer aficionados consider. I am making a case for aging here.

A: Poured black with slight hints of brown while pouring, with a moderate amount of head, that lingered slightly. Just as you would expect an Imperial Stout to be.

S: Incredible, Roasted malt, chocolate, slight hints of plum. The alcohol lent it complexity, that compared to bottles consumed earlier, seemed more like a dark port, but then the roasted malt brings you back to stout

T: Very balanced, and smooth. Caramel, slightly burnt malt and barely detectable hops to keep it interesting. Noticeably smoother than bottles opened earlier. Alcohol less present in taste than smell at this age. Finished with a slight hint of licorice.

M: Coated the mouth well, with a noticeable tingle. Very round, rich and creamy

D: Extremely drinkable, the age mellowed the alcohol flavor upfront enough to make you think you could drink quite a bit of this. Hands down one of the best stouts I have tasted. Wish I had saved more. (1,249 characters)

On Nitro at Blind Tigers VSK night. Wow I can't believe they have this..Pour was pitch black with a big white head.Aroma is amazing...Whisky, vanilla, smooth smoke, chocolate, big roasted notes and some oak. Not quite as oaky as the 11 and 12, but the wet oak aroma is still present.Taste was a bit of a let down after the wonderful aroma. I picked up a lot of sweet chocolate, some booze, big on the bourbon flavor. Charred oak and a small amount of anise seed.The mouthfeel was a bit on the thinner side, it was not quite as full as i had hoped it would be. Overall the drinkablity of this beer is pretty high. It went down very smooth without a ton of alcohol present. This was a rare treat to enjoy I am very happy i had the chance. (740 characters)

From the label: Old Rasputin 10th Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout with 12 medals in 10 years, 7 of them gold. Old Rasputin has built quite a reputation. So, to celebrate its 10th Anniversary, we've aged some Old Rasputin in oak whiskey barrels to add a Bourbon note to its complex flavor profile. We think you'll agree that it works.

Old Rasputin X pours up with a moderate-full carbonation that creates a incredibly inviting tannish-mocha colored head that completely envelops the deep mahogony-brownish black body. Simply marvelous! The heavily chocolate aroma is quite complex with notes of rich toffee, toasted walnuts, cocoa nibs & plenty of coffee/espresso notes. A touch of fruity cherry-vanilla, bourbon & a hint of warmth add to the overall complexity. This one just gets better as it warms in hand. The smooth flavor starts off with an initial rush of caramel & chocolate sweetness that gives way to a solid roasted graininess with coffee & espresso notes marked by some underlying bitterness. The beer continues to grow on the palate, but dries out slightly towards the bittersweet, warming bourbon finish. This medium-full bodied Imperial Stout has long been one of my favorites, but the bourbon & cellar aging makes this one truly magnificant! Now I'm definitely looking forward to the XI & XII.

Skål! Beertracker

*Taster's Note: Special thanks to Thomas Hardy for the bottle and happy '33rd' birthday to amateurbeerguy. (1,442 characters)

Big, big thanks to Terry (tmc) for this rarity, poured into a snifter.

The cork opens with a pretty impressive pop and pours with very good carbonation, leaving a one-inch creamy tan head. The body is a dark, dark brown that has some mahogany showing through the edges. It's lighter than I expected but the carbonation is really impressive give the barrel aging and age of the bottle.

The aroma is dominated by bourbon at the outset with very little from the underlying beer coming through. There are hints of dark chocolate malts along with some vanilla from the wood. Pretty one dimensional (bourbon) nose and honestly, the aroma is a bit of a let down...

...but the taste erases any doubts about the quality of this beer. The bourbon is still there and doesn't hide in the background. But the taste brings out the underlying beer in a way the aroma doesn't. The dark roasted malts are present and accounted for as well as some espresso and dark fruits. The finish is slightly dry from the barrel aging but retains a smooth vanilla and bourbon taste.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly slick with good carbonation. It goes down very easy and leaves a very boozy feel on the way down.

I'm pretty surprised at the big bourbon presence in the one. In fact, as others have said, this one might could use a couple more years to tone that down a bit. It's an excellent beer, but I'm not 100% sure this is an improvement over the base Rasputin...but that's a pretty high hurdle honestly. (1,494 characters)

Popped the cork and poured slowly into my 2005 Strong Beer Month glass. Lighter than expected, very cola brown in appearance. Super solid two fingers of mocha brown creamy head. Very nice looking in the glass, especially for a RIS that has been aging 'this' long in oak whisky barrels.

Aroma was all whisky. Some hints of vanilla and even coconut, but huge bourbon whiffs.

Creaminess hit my mouth for a split second before the huge smack of hot whisky. Nicely carbonated with a slight sting on the tongue. More hot bourbon flavor and charred oak on the finish. Somehow, I tasted some citric hop flavor in the back.Very good and tasty, but incredibly one-dimensional.

The frothy head fizzled after while, but not all the way down. Some nice cloudy lacing stuck on the glass, with a smooth looking tan film. Tiny bubbles hung to the outside of the glass.

Had X for a while, lurking in the back of my cellar. And I decided to open her open for no reason at all. I am glad I did, but am very surprised how prominent the whisky flavor was. In my mind, X could lay down for a few more years. (1,092 characters)

I actually managed to get a bottle of this one, I was floored to see it in my fridge and could barely contain myself as I went to open it up. Served at cellar temp and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 02/02/2009.

The pour was very nice, lighter then I would have though though, but very very nice. Rich dark brown with some light highlights on the sides. Some nice tan head on top that settled down nicely into a firm pillow across the top that stayed with it throughout the session.

The aroma was wonderfully complex and evolving with each passing minute. Loads of bourbon in here with a nice light touch of molasses mixed in. As it warms it takes on more of a deep, almost toffee like tone, similar to a nice old ale, but still blended with chocolate and notes of coffee. As I go in for a taste, warming alcohol rushes over me. Rich notes of coffee, chocolate, lots of bourbon and vanilla, Very complex and perfectly smooth and seductive. The alcohol was well mixed out and mellowed as each smooth sip opened it up to more and more unique flavors. The long lasting taste of vanilla is the perfect accent to a perfect nightcap.

Overall this was differnet then what I espected, but I have to admit so damn good I was blown away. I cannot wait to get ahold of the XI (1,286 characters)

Burnt umber with generous pomegranate-orange highlights along the edges. Nowhere near a black hole. Who says that alcohol is a foam and lace killer? The mochaccino colored crown looks good after the pour and even better as it starts to melt. Extensive lace almost pulls the score up to the high rent district.

The aroma is spectacular from a distance and is merely good up close. There's a near perfect blend of Russian Imperial stout and bourbon whiskey, just like the boys at NCBC drew it up. Only a shortage of nostril-filling roastiness and pungency keeps my enthusiasm in check.

North Coast Old Rasputin 10th Anniversary Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout might just be the longest name in beer history. It's also damn good beer that has held up remarkably well. That's no surprise given the style and the ABV, but plenty of similar beer hasn't fared so well on its second birthday.

As in the nose, the flavor is right on the money when it comes to the relative proportions of RIS and bourbon. If you love both as much as I do, then you'll love 'X' as much as I do. It's hard to say whether age or brewing skill has more to do with how well the alcohol is hidden. Probably both.

The flavor profile includes roasted barley, dark chocolate fudge, crushed coffee beans, dark brown sugar, vanilla, oak and a finishing flourish of Sambucca. It all comes together in splendid fashion, becoming even tighter and more seamless as room temperature nears. 'X' is a beer that begs to be consumed quickly. Don't give in to temptation, though, because you'll be smacked upside the head with a velvet hammer that will lay you out before you know it.

The mouthfeel comes into its own as the mercury rises. This might be one of the fullest and most crushed velvet-like ales that I've ever had after two years in the bottle. It must have been perfection personified right after bottling.

Old Rasputin aged in anything is bound to be great beer because it was great before it even entered the barrels. If you still have a bottle of 'X' in the depths of your cellar, crack it open today! before the ravages of time take a bite out of this outstanding barrel aged stout. Thanks to the incomparable Talisker for yet another rare and delicious brew. (2,238 characters)

My pops had this beer sitting around for a year or so and we decided to open it. We almost forgot about it. (Don't hide your beer)

Heavy sweet bourbon/chocolate aromas with a brief tan head and almost no lacing. It looks like iced coffee, but it sure doesn't taste like it. The bourbon is definitely in there with some chocolate flavors. Both take the spot light in this beer. This is a little bit of roasted malt hiding in the back end of the flavor, just enough to even out the sweetness. It's a shame they didn't make this again. This is definitely the first big stout that's been barrel aged that I can actually taste the barrel attribute full on. I am pleased to say this was some great drink. I am a huge fan of the regular old rasputin, but this was a pleasant treat. Well worth the wait. (796 characters)

500 ml bottle from inflatablechair and reinheitsgematt .... Big thanks to both of my Boise bottle providers. Decided to enjoy this tonight as my ongoing cellar clearing project.. Thanks to Matt and Sam... a small round was shared with Brenda.

My New Belgium snifter is brimming with 2 fingers of a cappuccino looking head... sheets and leopard lacing are very pretty... no light escapes from the brew in the bottom of the glass.

Big stout aromas.. roasty and toasty with quite a bit of char.. black with added spice.. vanilla and subtle bourbon.. dark chocolate with more than enough French Roast... yeasty esters .. prune and plum.

The wood is background with a very smooth and well composed RIS.. Hugely complex.. thick chocolate and vanilla.. dark malts with roasted barley.. Bourbon is present from start to finish but it never becomes a "shot of Beam boilermaker" .. the bourbon at this point is more of an essence that is part of the entire brew.. very smooth and nothing is out of line..

Body is thick and very smooth... spot on carbonation.. with a silky velvet body.. honestly one of the best RIS I've had. (1,120 characters)

Wow what a nice find this was. I traded for it after Dark Lord Day in 07 and it's been aging in my beer cellar (closet) ever since. I'm horrible with one-time beers like this. I keep wanting to wait for a really special occasion before I drink them. Tonight I am lonely and bored and I didn't accomplish anything today so I figure that's reason enough to celebrate!

The pour is as perfect as any I've ever seen in an Impy. Completely opaque blackness with a large, retentive, walnut-colored head.

Smells of harsh alcoholic yeast against fiery, thick, gooey death grain and the now-subdued node of a bourbon-aged stout. Nice, though the aging has caused a wee bit of an imbalance.

Tastes amazing. Age has done wonders. Smooth, raw porter grain starts things out, and that slides into a more stoutish chocolateyness that's mixed with the light fire of old, mellow bourbon. Bourbon dominates the rest of the way as it goes through the pleasantly overripe fruit of an aged stout and the smooth, almost sweet yeast of a good impy. The fire of bourbon lingers.

Maybe the best bourbon stout I've ever had. I sure hope they do something similar for their 15th anniversary--it'll be worth the wait! (1,195 characters)

S-This is easy...bourbon, bourbon and then oh, wait...no, more bourbon. After some time warming notes of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee and dark fruit start to manifest.

T-Bourbon! Like you didnt see that coming! After getting thru that you start to find the Old Rasputin base of a lovely deep roasted malt base.

M- A bit thinner than expected but with an impressive creamy smoothness. Alcohol provides some heat in the finish.

A-You better like bourbon to enjoy this one. Either that or lay it down for a few years! I was happy to have the opportunity to try this special brew...I only wish I had another to cellar for a while. (742 characters)

16.9 oz bottle into a 10 oz snifter. Much thanks to Deauane for pulling this out of his cellar.

Pours an absolutely pitch black with a 1/2 finger of light mocha colored head. It pretty much keeps all of that in the retention, which leaves just huge swathes of creamy lace down the sides of the glass. The aroma has just massive bourbon notes up front but underneath, you can still make out notes of chocolate, roast, burnt caramel, and coffee.

The taste is almost identical to the aroma with a huge presence of bourbon and oak dominating almost the whole way through. If you look deep though, some of our ole' familiar RIS is still in there, with chocolate sweetness, coffee notes, and roasted malts still making themselves known. The mouthfeel is medium bodied but a little thinner than I expected. It still packs a slick and smooth feel though. A slight sting of heat is present but it's hard to tell if that was coming from the actual body or all that bourbon taste.

I think a little toning down of the bourbon and oaked character might have made this work a little better but I was glad to see that at some of the regular Old Rasputin's awesome taste was still present. Still, it's pretty quaffable for it's size and I'm just glad to have had the chance to finally try this. Thanks again Deauane! (1,306 characters)